Friday in Hawkville (a.m. edition)

A recap of the morning practice – and dealings – at the Seahawks training camp:

WORD OF THE DAY
Ca-ching. As in, money. As in, the contract Lawrence Jackson signed, allowing the team’s first-round draft choice to participate in the first practice.

Jackson, a defensive lineman from USC, got a five-year, $11.25 million deal that includes a $6.1 million signing bonus. Jackson admits that his agent might have been able to milk a little more moolah from the club, but it was more important to be in camp on time.

He already has splurged, replacing his 1996 pickup with a Cadillac Escalade (“The car I’ve always wanted,” he said) and what he termed a modest house in the Newport Hills area (just up the hill from the team’s new facility on shores of Lake Washington).

With Jackson signed, only second-round pick John Carlson was missing from the first practice.

PLAYER OF THE DAY
Bobby Engram. So much for wondering if the team’s leading receiver would be able to put his dissatisfaction with his contract situation behind him once he stepped on the field.

Engram, who skipped the voluntary portions of the spring minicamps in hopes of getting a contract extension, picked up right where he left off last season – when he caught a franchise-record 94 passes.

He was working at flanker with the No. 1, and QB Matt Hasselbeck was going to him often.

Engram wasn’t just doing the right things; he also was saying the right things.

“I don’t think when I’m out there – especially about stuff like that – it’s just natural,” he said. “It’s a blessing to be out here in my 13th year and I’m going to have a ball.”

PLAYS OF THE DAY
Offense: Hasselbeck dumping the ball off to running back Julius Jones when all his downfield receivers were covered. It might sound like a nondescript effort, but it was significant because Jones caught the ball and then darted up the field. That wasn’t always the case when the dump-off target was Shaun Alexander, the back Jones was signed to replace.

Defense: Jackson came off a block by tackle William Robinson to get to running back Justin Forsett before the rookie could turn the corner.

POSITION WATCH
Backup quarterback. For those longing to see Seneca Wallace’s impressive athletic ability unleashed as a situational receiver/runner/passer, you are now fans of Charlie Frye.

Wallace remains the backup to Hasselbeck, but it will be the progress Frye displays during the preseason games that determines just how willing Holmgren is to experiment with Wallace.

“If Charlie can show me enough in the preseason, where now he’s comfortable with the what we’re doing … it allows me to use Seneca in other roles,” Holmgren said. “Because then I’m confident I could stick Charlie into the game, if I had to, and we could play.”

Coach Mike Holmgren said he remains hopeful that Branch will be ready for the regular-season opener, despite the fact that he had reconstructive knee surgery in January. The Sept. 7 opener against the Bills in Buffalo also is the target goal for Tubbs, who had surgery on both knees the last two years.

Tubbs was riding a stationary bike and Branch catching passes off the ball machine during practice.

Will Herring was placed on the non-football injury list. The second-year linebacker has a “sickness,” as Holmgren put it, which is causing the muscle pulls that plagued him during his rookie season.

Also sitting out were defensive end Patrick Kerney (shoulder), center Chris Spencer (shoulder), offensive lineman Ray Willis (knee) and punter Ryan Plackemeier (shoulder). They are recovering from surgeries and will be limited early in camp, as will Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones (shoulder).

ROSTER MOVES
In addition to Jackson, the team’s fourth- and fifth-round draft choices – defensive tackle Red Bryant and fullback Owen Schmitt – signed the contracts that they already had agreed to.

While the move on Green might seem surprising, he just was unable to stay healthy.

“Everyone loved Mike around here. He’s a wonderful young guy,” Holmgren said. “But he could not stay healthy.”

Green missed the 2006 season, his first with the Seahawks, because he needed foot surgery. Holmgren said Green had three more surgeries this offseason.

“It wasn’t his fault,” Holmgren said. “It was just one of those things.”

With Green gone, Jordan Babineaux and former Washington Husky C.J. Wallace were working at safety with the No. 2 defense.

The club also signed wide receiver Bryan Gilmore, who has played for the Arizona Cardinals (2000-2003), Miami Dolphins (2004-05) and San Francisco 49ers (2006-07). No roster move was necessary to sign Gilmore because Carlson is unsigned.

QUOTE
“Last year it was like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – ‘The Wind and the Willows.’ You never knew what was going to happen.” – Holmgren, referring the problems that led to the team using three snappers in 2007, a situation that prompted the selection of snapper Tyler Schmitt in the sixth round.